Army Bursts Cultists’ Hideout, Nabs Seven Suspects In Rivers

MEN of the 2 Brigade Port Harcourt, Nigeria military, on at the weekend stormed Ibaa Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State and nabbed over seven suspected cultists in the area.

The military had intensified its operations in the state, especially in some communities, in a bid to curbing cultism in the state.

Recently, cultism and its related activities had ruptured the relative peace enjoyed by the people of the state, following the tensed security operation.

The soldiers deployed in Emohua LGA to tame cultism in the area visited some criminal safe havens in Ibaa in continuation of its operations.

In the operation, it was learnt that seven suspected cultists including one Mercury Peter were apprehended by the security operatives.

A community source, Mr. Bright Amadi disclosed that the soldiers also allegedly set ablaze some household property belonging to some of the cultists who fled on sighting the soldiers.

Amadi noted that the security operatives met the hoodlums in a hideout around Mgbere village in Ibaa community.

The military in its operations had recently raided Obelle and Elele Alimini communities all in Emohua areas in search of cultists.

When contacted, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Captain Eli Lazarus confirmed that seven suspected cultists were arrested.

Lazarus noted that the army recovered one pistle and one pump action rifles during the operation, adding that the army would continue in its raid on criminal hideouts until cultism and criminality were tamed in the state.

Meanwhile, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Emohua, Mr. John Wokoma, had banned the operation of motor circle popularly called okada, from 6p.m to 6a.m in communities across the LGA.

Wokoma said the ban was in a bid to curb the resurgence of violence attacks by suspected cultists who he noted were using okada in their activities.

Wokoma, however, ordered security agencies to arrest and prosecute any offender, adding that the ban would last till the security challenges in the area was brought under control.